Drive Me Crazy by Lizzy Dent

Narrated by Shane East and Hannah van der Westhuysen

Standalone (for now) Spicy F1 Romance

I am a HUGE F1 fan and have a list of over 250 F1 romances on my blog. I’ve read a lot of them and DNF’d a lot more, and let me tell you, Drive Me Crazy by Lizzy Dent is one of the better ones. I got it from NetGalley months and months ago and started it more than once, but it was easy to put aside as other ARCs with earlier release dates kept popping up. When it finally released, I decided to buy the audiobook, and I was immediately hooked.

First off, the F1 racing, strategy, paddock culture, and overall vibe were all 100% accurate. I honestly just wish there had been more of it. The name-dropping was fun, and I loved how the real and fictional elements blended together. If you aren’t an F1 fan, I think you’ll enjoy Drive Me Crazy the same way you would any sports romance. But if you are an F1 fan, the accuracy and realism really stand out.

Chloe Coleman is hired as the first female team principal in F1. Sure, it might be for the last place team, but she needs to work twice as hard to prove herself. She was a racer first, just as talented as the men, but as a woman, she could only go so far behind the wheel. What she always excelled at was figuring out how to make teams, cars, and drivers better. At her introductory press conference, the team owner drops a huge surprise on her when he announces their new top driver: Matt Warner.

Matt Warner was a two-time world champion until a racing error caused his teammate and best friend to crash and catch fire. He has PTSD and has fallen from the top of the rankings to the bottom before Arden Racing buys out his contract. Matt Warner was also Chloe’s best friend and teen crush until he got into F1 and lost touch with her.

“You’re going to drive me crazy, Matt Warner.”

To Chloe, Matt was always “the one,” even though she’s still angry that he walked away from their friendship. Matt, on the other hand, always thought of Chloe as a little sister… until now. I know this is a romance novel, so romance has to happen, but becoming the first female team principal and then sleeping with one of your drivers? Ugh, that would be a blow to all women in motorsport, and I am so glad she had a friend that consistently reminded her of this…not that she listened.

She tries to resist, but she’s loved him her entire life, and Matt keeps pressing for more. They agree to keep things quiet, but he continues to push for risky behavior in public. These are two very recognizable people, and they take chances that could easily come back to bite them. What bothered me most was how often Matt dismissed her concerns when her career was just getting started and his was already nearing the end.

“I know without a shadow of a doubt I want you. I want to make you happy, Bug. Just how you make me feel.”

Likes:

Very accurate F1 information.
The blending of the real F1 grid with the fictional one.
Lots of sexy moments that weren’t overly cringey, except where they conflicted with the story.
The team-as-family dynamic later in the book.
Although Chloe loved him as a kid, Matt is the one completely in love now.
A rags-to-riches storyline.
Likable side characters, even if I wanted more of them.
The epilogue.

Dislikes:

The way Matt ignored Chloe’s concerns and repeatedly put her career at risk.
I wanted to see more of Chloe actually doing her job.
It needed more racing action.
Chloe was too meek at times and let too many people walk all over her.
Why did the story start mid-season? Unless I missed it, I don’t think the book ever clearly explained why everyone was being replaced. Starting at the beginning of the season would have allowed more believable team development and romance.

The Narration:

I started this book several times on Kindle and liked it, but it was easy to set aside. The audiobook completely changed that. I was pulled in right away. The accents added to the international feel, and Shane East and Hannah van der Westhuysen did a fantastic job. The narration elevated the story and made it much harder to stop listening.

The Down & Dirty:

I love a GOOD F1 romance. They are few and far between, and Drive Me Crazy falls into that category. While I hate the idea of the first female team principal sleeping with one of her drivers and potentially harming future opportunities for women in motorsport, I knew I had to set that aside for the story. This is a romance novel, after all. I loved the mix of the real and fictional F1 worlds, the accurate racing details, and the team dynamic that develops over time. They took more personal and professional risks than I was comfortable with, but I can’t deny those risks were hot. If Lizzy Dent turns this into a series, I’ll definitely pick up the next one, and I’m really glad I experienced Drive Me Crazy in audio.